Installing the Max Plugins

Owned by Matthew Lagoe
Last updated: Oct 25, 2013 by Matt Raykowski
2 min read

Installing the NeL plugins for 3ds Max

Using compiled packages

Grab the correct version for your 3ds Max installation, and copy the files into your 3ds Max folder.
Make sure that the folders in the package match with those in your 3ds Max installation directory.

Prerequirements

Latest updates

Install all of the latest hotfixes and service packs for your 3ds Max installation in order.
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/index?siteID=123112&id=2334435&linkID=9241178

Configuration

Setting up the Project Folder

In order to make sure 3ds Max can easily find the dependencies of the max file, and to work cleanly, it is recommended to set up a Project Folder. This folder will be used by 3ds Max as your working directory. By default this is a folder under your documents, however you should make a seperate one for every project you work on, so your 3ds Max assets do not get mixed up.

Simply go to File > Set Project Folder, and select the folder in which you want to work.

Configuring the system unit setup

It can also be quite useful to have the system units correctly set up, as this will help 3ds Max with configuring the viewport clipping planes, etc. The Ryzom assets and NeL assume a unit size of 1 meter by default.

To change the units, go to Customize > Units Setup. Set the Display Unit Scale to Generic Units. Then click on the System Unit Setup, set it to 1,0 Meters, and disable "Respect System Units in Files" to avoid scaling max files that are acquired from elsewhere.

Manual compilation

The 3ds Max plugins for NeL can be found under /code/nel/tools/3d/plugin_max/.
Use the max_plugins_public.sln solution for compilation.
Make sure that you have the 3ds Max SDK installed, which is available under the Support directory on your retail 3ds Max DVD.
You will need Character Studio SDK too which is included in 3ds Max SDK.
You cannot use STLport for compiling the 3ds Max plugins, as 3ds Max SDK is using STL.
Only the 32 bit version of the 3ds Max plugins have been tested, use 64 bit plugins on your own risk.

You may have to comment the following line in 3ds Max 2010 SDK/maxsdk/include/maxscrpt/value.h :

extern ScripterExport Empty empty;

After compilation you must copy the following files directly to your 3ds Max directory:

  • \code\nel\lib\object_viewer_dll_r.dll
  • \code\nel\lib\nel_3dsmax_shared_r.dll
  • \code\nel\lib\nel_drv_direct3d_win_r.dll
  • \code\nel\lib\nel_drv_opengl_win_r.dll
  • \code\nel\lib\nel_drv_xaudio2_win_r.dll
  • \code\nel\lib\nel_drv_openal_win_r.dll
  • \code\nel\lib\nel_drv_dsound_win_r.dll
  • \code\nel\lib\nel_drv_fmod_win_r.dll
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\max_light_support.txt
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\max_lightmap_support.txt
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\max_material_support.txt
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\max_skinning_support.txt
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\nel_water_material.txt
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\resolve_troubles.txt
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\max_animation_support.txt
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\object_viewer\object_viewer.cfg
  • C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0\VC\redist\x86\Microsoft.VC90.MFC
  • C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0\VC\redist\x86\Microsoft.VC90.CRT

Under the plugins directory in your 3ds Max folder you must copy the following files:

  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\plugins\nelconvertpatch_r.dlm
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\plugins\nelexport_r.dlu
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\plugins\nelpaintpatch_r.dlm
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\plugins\neleditpatch_r.dlm
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\plugins\neltileutility_r.dlu
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\plugins\nel_vertex_tree_paint_r.dlm
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\ligo\plugin_max\plugins\nelligoscapeutility_r.dlx
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\nel_patch_paint\keys.cfg
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\ligo\ligoscape.cfg

The following files are to be copied to the scripts directory:

  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\scripts\db_cleaner.ms
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\scripts\db_erase_mesh.ms
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\scripts\db_shooter.ms
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\scripts\extrude_water.ms
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\scripts\nel_add_name_ref_scale.ms
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\scripts\nel_assets_png.ms
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\scripts\nel_assets_png_database.ms
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\scripts\nel_batched_script.ms
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\scripts\nel_copy_biped_figure_mode.ms
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\scripts\nel_create_matrix.ms
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\scripts\nel_mat_converter.ms
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\scripts\nel_mirror_weights.ms
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\scripts\nel_move_animation.ms
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\scripts\nel_node_properties.ms
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\scripts\nel_old_zone_to_ligo.ms
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\scripts\nel_rename.ms
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\scripts\nel_repair_xref.ms
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\scripts\nel_select.ms
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\scripts\nel_select_ig.ms
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\scripts\nel_utility.ms
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\scripts\nel_xref_building.ms
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\scripts\reload_textures.ms
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\ligo\plugin_max\scripts\nel_ligoscape.ms

These go in the startup folder:

  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\scripts\startup\nel_flare.ms
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\scripts\startup\nel_light.ms
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\scripts\startup\nel_material.ms
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\scripts\startup\nel_material.ms.v1
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\scripts\startup\nel_material.ms.v2
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\scripts\startup\nel_material.ms.v3
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\scripts\startup\nel_material.ms.v5
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\scripts\startup\nel_material.ms.v11
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\scripts\startup\nel_multi_set.ms
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\scripts\startup\nel_pacs_box.ms
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\scripts\startup\nel_pacs_cylinder.ms
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\scripts\startup\nel_ps.ms
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\scripts\startup\nel_swt.ms
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\scripts\startup\nel_wave_maker.ms

And finally copy these four files to the macroscripts directory or ui/macroscripts:

  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\macroscripts\nel_mirror_weights.mcr
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\macroscripts\nel_node_properties.mcr
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\plugin_max\macroscripts\nel_xref_building.mcr
  • \code\nel\tools\3d\ligo\plugin_max\macroscripts\nel_ligoscape.mcr